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“You have powers you never dreamed of. You can do things you never thought you could do. There are no limitations in what you can do, except for the limitations of your own mind.” ~ Darwin P. Kingsley

Thanks a million to all the many talented filmmakers, writers, composers, audiences, event staff and volunteers who participated in the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival & made it another memorable season!

The 2016 Moondance Photo Album is coming soon!

CLICK ON THE STAR IMAGE, FOR INFO ON AWARD CATEGORIES!

If you would like to have us send you back your Blu-ray screener, or if you were not able to attend the awards ceremony, & want us to send you your winner’s award star & certificate, please clickHEREfor the form to request it & pay only the minimal postage & handling.

The final deadline for ordering is October 15th!

“Movies are just another form of merchandising – we have our factory, which is called a stage; we make a product, we color it, we title it, and we ship it out in a can, and then try to convince people to buy it.” ~ Cary Grant

Please subscribe to the blog & forward it to your creative artist colleagues!

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival was a grand success for everyone who attended; audiences, indie film buffs, filmmakers, writers, composers, workshops & master class presenters, staff & volunteers, and a productive, good time was had by all! We thank you all for your valued participation, enthusiasm & for every one of those great films!

If you would like to have us send you back your Blu-ray screener, or if you were not able to attend the awards ceremony, & want us to send you your award star & certificate, please clickHEREfor the form to request it & pay only the minimal postage & handling.

2016 AUDIENCE FAVORITE FILMS ANNOUNCED!

• FEATURE FILMS:

A Shine of Rainbows Vic Sarin Canada

Mousse John Hellberg Sweden

The Dawns Here Are Quiet… Renat Davletyarov Russia

Tomorrow Ever After Ela Their USA

• FEATURE DOCUMENTARY FILMS:

Rivering Bill Parks New Zealand

The Boy From Geita Vic Sarin Canada

Unit 731 Chris Nebe USA

• SHORT FILMS:

A Game of Chicken Michael Hilf USA

A Wilderness Within Vangelis Maderakis Greece

Behind the Wall Bat-Sheva Guez USA

Omessa Charlène Favier France

Play Date Paige Morrow Kimball USA

Sandboy Vittoria Colonna USA

The Sky Over Berlin of My Childhood Bakhtiyar Islamov Kazakhstan

The Windfisherman Anna McRoberts USA

• SHORT DOCUMENTARY FILMS:

Displaced Niamh Heery Ireland

Meeting With the Leaf Fazlollah Tari Iran

The More Things Change Nathan Myers USA

• MUSIC VIDEO:

Heaven’s Falling Kimberley Williams USA

• ANIMATION FILMS:

Ella Juan Montes de Oca Spain

The Diver Damon Mohl USA

• WORKS-IN-PROGRESS / SNEAK PREVIEW FILM:

Hey! Alex Jovanoski Germany

MOONDANCERS WRITE US!

• “I’d like to thank you and your team for a wonderful weekend. Everyone at the Moondance festival worked so hard and maintained their smiles throughout. I truly appreciate all your help and the aid of the volunteers, in particular Rachel and Cassia for making this weekend memorable. Your enthusiasm is an inspiration!” ~ Lianne Collinson, personal assistant to Vic Sarin, director of Moondance winning films, A Shine of Rainbows & The Boy from Geita• “Thank you for curating a festival with integrity. I loved the films I saw (which isn’t usually the case at festivals…) I love your taste in films and you clearly take the time to watch submissions.” ~ Ela Their, Winning Moondance 2016 feature film, Tomorrow Ever After• “I just wanted to say thank you so much for selecting Displaced as winner of the Short Documentary Film category at Moondance this year. I just checked your website and I’m over the moon! (Pardon the pun!) A festival like yours is exactly why I make films, the fact that you guys focus on women, focus on social justice and global issues and work hard to promote it is very admirable and I’m thrilled to be a small part of it. As I’m thousands of miles away in Ireland and cannot get to the festival this year, I wish you the very best of luck with all the screenings and events, and thank you again for exhibiting Displaced.” ~ Niamh Heery• “My friends and family came to my screening on Sunday and said that they had a wonderful time. Congratulations on a successful event! ~ Bat-Sheva Guez, 2016 Moondance winner for Behind the Wall • “Thanks again to you and your staff for making my wife (Gwen) and me feel so welcomed to your wonderful festival. Really enjoyed the time I got to spend with you, and our conversations. I hope our paths cross again.” ~ Jay Kettering, Moondance winning audio play, My Dad & Pre-Socratic Thought• “Thank you for awarding LUDLOW a first place prize for feature screenwriting. I was pleased to no end to be honored and to receive the Seahorse Award. Barbara and I enjoyed watching A Shine of Rainbows and Rivering, entirely different movies, but both good stories filmed in beautiful locations. ~ Bruce Leaf, multi-award-winning screenwriter

“Fine festival for screenwriters. Good and timely communication make this a recommended festival for screenwriters, both new and experienced.” ~ Jim Norman, FilmFreeway review

• “Just a note to thank you for having me in Boulder. You work hard and have your heart at the right places. I am happy to meet you and that I was able to spend a little time with you. Please also thank the volunteers whom I met, as they were all very kind and caring. I hope our paths cross again in the future.” ~ Vic Sarin,director, winning Moondance films, A Shine of Rainbows & The Boy from Geita, Sepia films

TEHRAN, Sep. 14 (MNA) – Three Iranian films, including ‘The Sea and the Flying Fish’, have been awarded prizes at the Moondance International Film Festival in the US. ‘The Sea and the Flying Fish’ directed by Mehrdad Ghafarzadeh won Best Feature Film award alongside titles from Canada, Germany, Russia and the US. The film is about a young innocent deaf and dumb inmate of a correctional camp who communicates through painting. ‘The Sea and the Flying Fish’ has previously won the Best Actor award at Spain’s film festival.

‘Atlan’ directed by Moein Karimoddini won the Feature Documentary Film award at the festival. The film relates the story of a horse-trainer, Ali Golnejad and his beloved horse, Ilhan, which is supposed to bring much success and glory to the family. In the short film category, ‘The Salt Man’ directed by Sajad Mousavi won an award along with other titles from US, Ireland, France, and Kazakhstan.

Moondance International Film Festival, popularly known as the “American Cannes”, is one of the premier venues for the exhibition and promotion of feature and short films in the US, and one of the leading indie film festivals in the world. This 17th edition of the festival took place on September 4th and 5th, 2016.

SOME THINGS TO THNK ABOUT NOW:

“The world is a mirror; growl at it, and it growls in return. Smile, and the world smiles back at you.” ~ Herbert Samuel

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”Sunrise” miriadna.com

“Cease to ask what the morrow will bring forth. Set down as a gain each day that fortune grants.” ~ Eudora Welty

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‪Photo by misskarenmarquez.edublogs.org

“Life is the perpetual present moment one lives in, and a perception that time is nothing more than the current…an eternal flowing back to the sea.” ~William Least Heat-Moon, author, “River Horse”

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“When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.” ~ Zen Buddhist Proverb

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“How people treat you is their karma; how you react is yours.” ~ Wayne W. Dyer

Please forward this news-blog to your creative artist colleagues!

QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS?

Moondance has always been, and continues to be, a “Green” event!

No trees or natural habitats were harmed in the creation of this news-blog!

The Moondance International Film Festival, now celebrating its 17th successful anniversary, and featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than an annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

We are very pleased to have secured the best venue for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful downtown Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.

If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact our sponsorships coordinator, Alan Rogers, at: alan@moondancefilmfestival.com

Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!

A MOONDANCER WRITES US:

“I wanted to let you know that I was contacted by a sales company, Circus Road Films, and by a distribution company named Silverline Entertainment. Both found my film on the Moondance roster and requested a screener, which I sent them. One of the things I liked reading about Moondance is your investment not only in the festival itself, but in helping filmmakers get through industry doors – which has been tough, to say the least. Thanks for curating an important and much-needed festival. As a woman director, the added hurdles I face daily can feel insurmountable, and your work keeps women like me going.” ~ Ela Their,director, “Tomorrow Ever After”, film screening at Moondance 2016

Tickets for all events will also be available at the registrations & ticket sales table in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel venue, on September 4th & 5th, starting at 10:AM each day.

We are very pleased to have secured the best venue for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.

The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than a popular annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers and filmmakers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.

SOME HAPPY 2014 MOONDANCE WINNERS!

The uniqueness and integrity of The Moondance International Film Festival brand, its global reputation for the highest quality, as well as its important mission and goals, and now celebrating our 17th season, is a rare and unmatchable asset. Talented filmmakers, writers and composers from around the world submit their work to the annual Moondance competition; enthusiastic audiences attend the film festival’s screenings of the best indie films, its professional workshops and popular networking events.

Dear Friends, Moondancers, Supporters, Donors & Sponsors, If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact Elizabeth English at:director@moondancefimfestival.com

Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!

MOONDANCERS COME FROM AROUND THE WORLD!

A MOONDANCER WRITES US:

Thank you SO much for the wonderful news! I am looking into travel prices, and will most likely attend the festival. I am extremely impressed by how organized the festival seems, and how informative the website is. Thank you very much for selecting my film, “Square One”. ~ Ryan Slattery

Tickets for all events will also be available at the registrations & ticket sales table in the lobby of the St. Julien Hotel venue, on September 4th & 5th, starting at 10:AM each day.

We are very pleased to have secured the very best venue for the 2016 film festival and for screening Moondance films in historic, beautiful Boulder. The world-class St. Julien Hotel & Spa in downtown Boulder is one of the West’s most prestigious luxury hotels, and it stands at the forefront of special event spaces in the Rocky Mountain region.

The 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival, featuring its distinct cinematic visions and bold film selections, has distinguished itself around the world as much more than a popular annual film festival! The Moondance is a unique community, a supportive, productive, and creative year-round collaboration between independent filmmakers and movie audiences, between writers, music composers and the world of top-quality filmed entertainment.

True to the spirit of the best of important and meaningful films, professional workshops, networking events, and so on, Moondance is supported and attended by those people who value the best in quality indie films, as well as the Moondance mission, and share a passion for the power of great films to entertain, inspire, encourage, educate and challenge peoples’ perceptions.

Moondancers are part of an amazing worldwide community; a unique collaboration of multi-talented writers, film score composers and filmmakers. The Moondance mission is to entertain, inform, inspire, encourage and educate. We honor those artists who, through their creative work, actively increase awareness, provide multiple viewpoints, address complex social issues, and strengthen ties between international audiences At Moondance, you can come together with other writers, directors and producers to create new opportunities, develop tools for success and forge new alliances within the international film and entertainment industry.

The uniqueness and integrity of The Moondance International Film Festival brand, its global reputation for the highest quality, as well as its important mission and goals, and now celebrating our 15th season, is a rare and unmatchable asset. Talented filmmakers, writers and composers from around the world submit their work to the annual Moondance competition; enthusiastic audiences attend the film festival’s screenings of the best indie films, its professional workshops and popular networking events.

Being fearless & bold, Moondance is a film festival where monotonous conformity is considered mediocrity, and extravagant individualism, innovation, uniqueness and experimentation is encouraged, awarded and applauded!

Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!

A MOONDANCER WRITES US:

“I found your critique of my screenplay valuable, personal and sincere. My imagination has already devised ways to incorporate some of your suggestions into thrilling and humorous ways, creating greater conflict for more nail-biting angst. Let the rewrite begin! I appreciate the time and consideration your have given this work. I received so much more value than I anticipated.“ Gratefully, Meredith Schatz, Germany

ROME LITTLE THEATRE ANNOUNCES AUDITIONS FOR FRED PERRY’S THE ASCENSION OF TWYLA POTTS! RLT announces auditions for Fred Perry’s two act comedy The Ascension of Twyla Potts. This show has won widespread acclaim, including 1st place in the stageplay category at the 2015 Moondance International Film Festival, the 2013 London Film Awards and The Special Marquee Award at the 2013 American Movie Awards. The play is being produced and presented by special arrangement with Heartland Plays, Inc. (CoosaValleyNews.com, Rome, Georgia)

SOMETHING TO CONSIDER:

By Lou Hamilton

Life is ebb and flow, there’s time for speed and a time to slow down. Think of a garden; you don’t plant a seed and expect to see a tree the next day. The art of patience allows for a natural pace, the need for speed forces artificial pressure on a creative process. Think of Genetically Modified Foods. They grow quick and taste of nothing. In the film industry we use the three pronged model: quick, cheap, good. You can only have two of the three. Quick and cheap, but not good. Quick and good, but not cheap. Cheap and good but not quick. “Even instant gratification takes too long” Carrie Fisher is quoted as saying. When you slow down you simply do things better. Eating, sleeping, making love, creating, inventing, designing all become better when slowness is your modus operandi.READ MORE:

2016 MOONDANCE SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES!

Dear Friends, Moondancers, Supporters, Donors & Sponsors,

If you’d like to consider a unique sponsorship at Moondance, to further promote your company or product to our international audiences & event attendees, please take a look at our Sponsorship Categories, and contact our sponsorships coordinator, Alan Rogers, at: alan@moondancefilmfestival.com

Thanks a million for your interest in a mutually-beneficial working relationship with the 2016 Moondance International Film Festival!

MOONDANCERS WRITE US:

“How nice to get your note that you’ve received my screenplay. So often, nothing comes back, and we submitters are like tourists tossing pennies at a fountain… Your greeting was immediate, buoyant and gratefully taken in. Thanks for the “voice back”. I’ll subscribe to the blog and keep up-to-date, and look forward to meeting you at the 17th Moondance. Very glad you consider screenplays.” ~ Stephen Keep Mills

Directors Pedro Almodovar, Paul Feig and Duncan Jones are just a few of the male directors who have been fighting against the Hollywood establishment and its attitude toward women in film. Feig recently addressed the backlash against his all-female remake of “Ghostbusters,” while Almodovar talked about the importance of casting women of all ages to fight against the industry’s “diabolical sexism” at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this summer. Taking a stand and creating change in an industry that should be the standard-bearer for creative liberalism, but sadly isn’t just yet. But with all this important activism comes the realization that change isn’t going to happen with just half of the industry population working to create it. Men also have to join the fight and recognize what a benefit it is to filmmaking when everyone gets the same kinds of opportunities based on talent and merit, not skin color or gender.READ MORE:

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” ~ Socrates

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Ernest Hemingway writing in Cuba

“The world breaks almost everyone, and afterwards, many are stronger at the broken places.” ~ Ernest Hemingway

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“Blessed is the person who sees a need, recognizes the responsibility, and actively becomes the answer.” ~ William Arthur Ward

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“They are indolent discoverers who, upon seeing nothing but sea and sky, absolutely deny that there can be any land at all beyond them.” ~ Sir Francis Bacon

Compassion and mindfulness are two wings of the same bird, and we need both in order to live in a wise way. But what about compassion? What is compassion? How is it different from empathy? Empathy is a gateway to compassion. It’s understanding how someone feels, and trying to imagine how that might feel for you — it’s a mode of relating. Compassion takes it further. It’s feeling what that person is feeling, holding it, accepting it, and taking some kind of action.

Compassion is empathy in action. Compassion is all about realizing that we ultimately all want the same things out of life (love, safety, health, happiness), and responding in an appropriate way. With a little practice, we can all become more compassionate toward ourselves and others. It’s a bold, brilliant, and radical choice to go against the stream of self-interest and self-centeredness.READ MORE:

Now, the African Elephant Coalition is warning of a mass extinction of elephants on the continent within 25 years. By not taking action, the EU is endangering tens of thousands of elephants each year. Time is running out. We need the EU to act now.

Rhinos are one of the world’s most distinctive and beloved animals, but they are rapidly disappearing from the wild. Why? Demand for rhino horns as a status symbol and fake cure for cancer has skyrocketed. Coupled with a dramatic loss of habitat, all five species of rhinos are threatened with extinction. The public outcry over rhino poaching is growing. With your support, we can keep these species alive and thriving. If we don’t take action now, these precious animals could be lost forever. It’s up to us to step up and do something to protect these majestic animals.

“As a Screenwriter I feel it’s very important to support film fests! Moondance is one to watch and participate in. It’s events like this that allow true talent to shine through.” ~ Stacey Arcangel

”Elizabeth is an amazingly creative and energetic individual! The Moondance Festival exists because of her initiative and continued enthusiasm. I was an award-winner at Moondance twice for my screenplays and another time for a short story. I attended two festivals, once in Boulder and once in Hollywood! Unforgetable!” ~ Bonnie Maffei

“Moondance…! It is a remarkable blog. It is chance to reach your dreams.” ~ Kvachenyuk-Boretsky Alexander

“Elizabeth English is Executive Director for one of the best film festivals around, the Moondance Film Festival. Since she’s been at the helm, the festival has grown tremendously. She makes herself readily accessible and disseminates information thoroughly and in a timely fashion. She’s great at coordinating and a team leader.” ~ Sonya Alexander

“Thank you very much for your consideration and for all that you are doing to make the world a better place by showcasing meaningful films.” ~ Paige Morrow Kimball

“I am very passionate about creating films that will make a difference in this world. I understand that the purpose of movies is entertainment, but I also believe that we have the responsibility to create content that will not influence future generations in a negative way.” ~ Jonathan Matamoros, President and CEO at The Truth Television‬

GREAT FILM DIRECTORS ON CINEMA & PEACE

“Nonviolence, pacifism, that’s the greatest thing that I think the human species must aspire to, because otherwise, we’re not going to be around.” ~ Martin Scorsese

“Going to the cinema is like returning to the womb; you sit there, still and meditative, in the darkness, waiting for life to appear on the screen.” ~ Federico Fellini

THE MOVIE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE

“The movie-going experience is like going on a first date, and ending possibly “with benefits”. You see an advertisement for a film, read or hear promotions about it from others, become interested in seeing it, find out where it’s playing, go to the theater, pay for your ticket, get some popcorn, candy & a soda, find your best seat, wait in the dark, in anticipation, but unsure if it’ll be to your liking, or not. The film starts, you begin watching it, and soon have a sense of recognizing the scenes, of being in the story, of being involved, one of the characters and in a situation you can relate to. The film score music puts you in the mood, and you gradually experience an almost total suspension of disbelief.

Depending on the plot & storyline, you begin to care about the characters, the outcome, you worry or are scared or are happy with the action, you think you know what will happen, you look forward to a good ending. Finally, the hoped-for climax arrives, you feel satisfied, the lights come on, you are back to the real world, you go outside & maybe have a cigarette, and discuss the film’s merits or deficiencies with others. “ ~ Elizabeth English

“Airplane!”, Paramount Pictures

BOULDER NEWS:

BOULDER NAMED U.S. EARTH HOUR CAPITAL

By John Bear, Daily Camera Staff Writer

Boulder Flatirons Trail

June 29, 2016. Boulder has been designated the 2016 U.S.Earth HourCapital by the World Wildlife Fund, a year-long challenge to encourage and recognize cities working to reduce their carbon footprint and respond to climate change threats. Boulder was chosen from 16 other US cities this year, according to a news release. The Earth Hour City Challenge included 21 countries this year.

MOONDANCE SUPPORTS & RECOMMENDS:

~ NATURE’S TRUTH ~

Beautiful, powerful images & sadly true.

Click on image below to view slide show:

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You can’t replace old-growth rainforest lost to development. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. What took decades and generations to grow can be destroyed in a single afternoon — and this devastation is happening around the world, every day. Rainforests are home to more plants and animals than just about anywhere else on the planet. But more than half of these forests have already been destroyed. Forests that once seemed limitless have been devastated — cleared and charred to make way for farms, mines and roads, illegal logging and unsustainable development.

Rainforests aren’t the only natural treasure at real risk of disappearing. Today’s threats to nature are like none we’ve ever seen before in history. Every minute of every day we see habitat eroded, wild animals threatened, and the resources we need to survive disappearing. We all have a responsibility to preserve this planet not just for ourselves, but for our children and grandchildren, before it’s too late.

We must save what’s left, while there’s still time.

There are no second chances for our planet, and there is no second nature.

It’s up to people like you and me who cherish our natural world to take action.

Until very recently not many people had heard of the Munduruku People. Now, over 1 million people from around the world are standing with them to protect the heart of the Amazon. That’s a phenomenal surge of support! When the Munduruku reached out to us asking us to help save their homes and the Amazon from a destructive mega-dam, we never imagined the amazing response we’d get.

Volunteers came to help them push for formal recognition of their land. Major newspapers published stories about this new threat to the Amazon. If the project goes through, thousands of amazing species of birds, mammals, fish and reptiles will be in grave danger. Few places in the world are as bio-diverse as the Amazon rainforest. It’s our responsibility to speak out for its protection. Building this dam would flood an enormous area the size of New York City, releasing huge amounts of carbon and methane into the atmosphere. That’s unacceptable.Speak out now.

GREENPEACE AUSTRALIA PACIFIC is part of a global movement of people taking action for a green and peaceful future. We are 100% independent and don’t accept any money from business or government. So, we rely entirely on voluntary donations to carry out our campaigns. If thousands of us around the world take a stand with the Munduruku, we can send a clear message – the Brazilian government must protect the heart of the Amazon. The best way to help us keep fighting climate change, defending our oceans and protecting ancient forests is tomake a donation.Thank you!

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

“The thing always happens that you truly believe in; and the belief in that thing makes it happen.” Frank Lloyd Wright

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Dominique Browning photo

“While you are dreaming of the future, and regretting the past, the present, which is all you have, slips away from you and is gone.” ~ Hillaire Belloc

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“The Wizard of Oz”, MGM Studios

“Whatever you want to do, do it now. There are only so many tomorrows.” ~ Pope Paul

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”It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have found our real journey.” ~ Wendell Berry

A passionate and diverse filmmaker, Vic Sarin‘s career includes award-winning feature films, documentaries and television movies.

We are very proud to announce that the US premiere of Sarin’s feature documentary film, The Boy from Geita, will be screened at Moondance, along with his award-winning feature narrative film, A Shine of Rainbows. READ MORE!

Happy Independence Day to all of our American Moondancers!

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT:

“If you break faith with us who die, we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields.” ~ by Canadian physician Lieutenant-Colonel John McCrae

Each one of those 888,246 poppies represented a drop of blood from a brave man or woman who lost their lives in World War I. The Battle of the Somme was launched on July 1st, 1916, one hundred years ago today. The fighting was also in Holland, France, Belgium, Germany, Greece, the Balkans, at sea, and outside Europe, as well. Historical statistics relate that over one million men & women were killed or wounded, but how can we imagine the lost & maimed sons, husbands and brothers, mothers, wives & sisters? 400 British surgeons were also killed in the first few days of the Battle of the Somme – what a terrible loss of knowledge & healing skills, which could have helped so many others! ~ Excerpted & edited from Lady Carnarvon’s blog at Highclere Castle, UK (Downton Abbey)

The Moondance International Film Festival actively promotes, inspires & encourages non-violent conflict resolutions through film, television, radio, writing & music, and the coveted Columbine awards, with recognition of alternatives presented to international & local audiences and annual event attendees.

“Artists…notice the things that engage the mind’s private and idiosyncratic interior, that area where the life of the senses mingles with the life of the spirit…” ~Annie Dillard, from An American Childhood

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Robert Duvall & Mary Badham, Universal Pictures

“I wanted you to see what real courage is, instead of getting the idea that courage is a man with a gun in his hand. It’s when you know you’re licked before you begin, but you begin anyway and you see it through, no matter what.” ~ Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, (Atticus to Scout)

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www.mommyish.com

“Don’t be discouraged by a failure. It can be a positive experience. Failure is, in a sense, the highway to success, inasmuch as every discovery of what is false leads us to seek earnestly after what is true, and every fresh experience points out some form of error which we shall afterwards carefully avoid.” ~ John Keats

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“I choose…to live by choice, not by chance; to make changes, not excuses; to be motivated, not manipulated; to be useful, not used; to excel, not compete. I choose self-esteem, not self-pity. I choose to listen to my inner voice, not the random opinions of others. ~ Author Unknown

Moondance now offers feedback & professional critiques on screenplays, stage plays, and TV pilots that are submitted for the 2016 competition, for only $50! Select the FEEDBACK option on the FilmFreeway entry form, or the Moondance entry form. Meet our professional reader, Jasmine Sahu, at: http://moondancefilmfestival.com/meetouradvisoryboard/

Elizabeth English, founder & executive director of the Moondance International Festival, went above and beyond to help me on my screenwriting journey. She called, not only to tell me my script was a finalist, but also to give me detailed suggestions for revising both the script, title and the logline. Her generous support came at a crucial time and kept me going on a challenging project. When I asked her why she was helping me so much, with all she had to do, she answered, “Because your story needs to be told.” I am thrilled to say that my script, now called Scandalous, has been optioned by Painted Saint Entertainment. A big thanks to Elizabeth and Moondance! ~ Kate Danaher Parks, USA

Why don’t more film festivals recognize film scores and composers? You have the imagination to recognize film scores and composers at your festival, and this is amazing. Every touch you give to your festival, from the logo to the philosophy, is a gift to artists. And this is so rare to find something positive. Thank you, Elizabeth, for the chance you give me, but also and mostly for your sincerity and positive energy. ~ Anthony Cedric Vuagniaux, composer, Switzerland

BOULDER NEWS OF INTEREST

The Dalai Lama greets Tibetans waiting for his arrival in Boulder. His Holiness the Dalai Lama arrives at the St Julien Hotel in Boulder on Wednesday afternoon. Cliff Grassmick, Dailycamera.com Staff Photographer June 22, 2016

The Dalai Lama made his long-awaited appearance in Boulder at the University of Colorado, on June 23rd, 2016, as the Tibetan leader led two teachings at the university’s Coors Events Center in Boulder. A large crowd, many of whom were local Tibetans, greeted His Holiness when he arrived at the St. Julien Hotel in downtown Boulder on Wednesday, where the 17th annual Moondance International Film Festival will also take place in September.

The 80-year-old Tibetan leader, who is the 14th Dalai Lama, last visited Boulder in 1997. When CU opened the doors to the Coors Event Center for the first teaching, a long line had formed outside the arena with people from Boulder, and beyond, eager to see and hear the Dalai Lama teach. During a two-hour morning session, the spiritual leader spoke on “Eight Verses of Training the Mind” to members of the public. Then, in the afternoon, he spoke to CU students, employees and alumni about “Educating the Heart and Mind”. Altogether, some 18,000+ people heard the Dalai Lama speak.

SOME THINGS TO THINK ABOUT

By New Yorker cartoonist, Isaac Littlejohn Eddy

“A pessimist is one who always finds difficulties in opportunities; an optimist is one who always finds opportunities in difficulties.” ~ Anonymous

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“Always bear in mind that your own resolution to succeed is more important than anything else.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

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“Be courageous and bold. Make a difference. Stay true to your principles, but live passionately and well. Experience new things. Love and be loved.” ~ Author Unknown

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UNREAL SCENES IN MOVIES & TV!

(25 Things I don’t understand)

CAR CHASES: Why must they always, at some point, crash into trash cans or fruit & vegetable carts?

DARK ROOMS: Why do the cops always investigate dark rooms or basements with flashlights, instead of just turning on the lights?

DOORWAYS: When someone runs away from a house or room, why does the remaining person stop at the doorway, calling the person’s name, and not go any farther out from the doorway?

TV NEWS: How is it possible that when someone needs to see something on the news, when they turn on the TV, it’s exactly what they wanted to see?

RAIN: Why does “rain” run right down the windows in a house or building? In reality, there are roof eaves & overhangs to stop rain from flowing down windows.

PURSES: Why don’t women ever carry a purse? How can they go out all day with no car or house keys, no cell phone, no billfold/money/credit cards, no ID, & etc.? Is it to make women seem helpless, instead of independent & in control, & in need of a man’s assistance?

PURSES II: Why is it that the only women who carry purses are either older women, bag ladies or prostitutes?

PARKING: Why do cars always park immediately in front of office buildings downtown, with no other cars parked nearby & no parking meters?

PARKING II: Why do people park their car 100 yards away from a house they are visiting or investigating, and then walk all the way, when there is a driveway right up to the place & plenty of parking closer?

SEX: Why, after a wild sex scene, does the man immediately get out of bed wearing undershorts?

SEX II: Why, after a wild sex scene, does the woman wrap the covers around herself, get up, and drag them off the bed, so the man can’t see her naked?

SHOWERS: Why are showerheads always on the middle of the ceiling in the shower, causing the bather to be almost drowned, & blinded by shampoo in his or her eyes?

SHOWERS II: Why, when a woman is in the shower, is there never a towel nearby, & she has to ask someone to bring her one? Doesn’t she know she’ll need to dry off?

DAILY NEEDS: Why do people in movies rarely eat, sleep or use the bathroom?

FEMALE COPS: Where do the handcuffs, guns, cell phones, flashlights & other gear come from, when needed, since they are always wearing skin-tight uniforms, with no bulky gear apparent?

DRIVING: Why don’t people wear seatbelts in movies or TV shows, unless they are a family with kids in the car?

COFFEE: Why don’t people ever put cream or sugar in their coffee, and steam doesn’t waft up from the cup? Does everyone in movies & on TV drink their coffee black & cold? Or is it because they’re really pouring cold Coca-Cola in those cups?

DANGER: Why do women always stand and stare at whatever dangerous happens, covering their mouths and screaming, waiting for the man to tell them to run away, or dragging them away, crying & protesting that they want to stand there (& be hurt or killed if not rescued)?

FIGHTING: Why don’t people being attacked use their hands or legs & feet to fight back? Why do they just stand there, arms hanging down, feet on the floor, being attacked & hit?

POLICE STATION: Why are there always two cops shoving three prostitutes through the back of the squad room in these scenes? Why are those three people always one fat, older blonde in a bad wig, one stumbling, stoned Latina & one tall African-American transvestite? (All 3 with big purses, BTW)

GUESTS: Why, when someone opens the door & sees a visitor they didn’t expect, do they always say, rudely, “What are you doing here?”

MORNING: Why, in a bedroom scene, when the alarm clock rings. Does the actor always fumble trying to shut it off, & knock the clock to the floor? Hasn’t he or she ever heard the alarm ring before now?

TV: Why aren’t there televisions in most living rooms? Don’t people watch TV?

COWBOY MOVIES: Why don’t the older people & elderly Indians ever need glasses, or do they all have perfect 20/20 vision, even when ancient?

Tigers have been hunted, killed, poached, and pushed out of their habitats by humans. We humans have contributed to the rapid decline of these beautiful big cats, and now only 3,200 tigers remain in the wild. It is our responsibility to protect what is left of the tigers and allow them to reclaim their place in the wild. Together we can do it! It starts with supporting the right organizations. That’s why Moondance supports the Wildlife Conservation Society, which has more boots on the ground protecting tigers than any other organization in the world.Will you join us?

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HELP SAVE THE LAST 300 DESERT ELEPHANTS OF MALI

The Gourma region of central Mali, Western Africa, is home to one of the very last herds of desert elephants. Mali’s special elephants are the remains of a population that makes the longest annual migration to find water and food of all elephants. But like other elephants in Africa, they’re disappearing at an alarming rate, due to global warming and extensive poaching, and Mali’s desert elephants could go extinct much sooner than others. Poachers killed more than 80 desert elephants in 2015, for their ivory tusks, with 16 more killed just since January this year. These very special elephants could be extinct in only three years unless the Malian government does more to protect them from poachers. Poachers have taken advantage of the political unrest and violence in the lawless north to step up their ivory trafficking. THE SITUATION IN MALI IS URGENT! If people like you take a stand on the elephants’ behalf, we have an opportunity to save this herd for future generations. Your message to the Environment Minister will help save Mali’s desert elephants.

We have provided a way for you to submit via mail, our own online submission form above or through WAB or Film Freeway. If you prefer submission by mail please download form above and print out the form below and print out the 2016 MOONDANCE RELEASE FORM, clearly fill in the info required, and enclose a check or money order in US $ for the entry fee (regular: $50 to May 31st, extended: $75 to June 1st- 15th, late: $100 to June 16th – June 30th), plus your submission, and mail or courier it to: MOONDANCE FILM FESTIVAL – 970 9th STREET –BOULDER, CO 80302 USA

Moondance now offers feedback & professional critiques on screenplays, stage plays, and TV pilots that are submitted for the 2016 competition, for only $50! Select the FEEDBACK option on the FilmFreeway entry form, or the Moondance entry form. Meet our professional reader, Jasmine Sahu, at: http://moondancefilmfestival.com/meetouradvisoryboard/

Boulder has been named the official “TREE CITY USA” by the Arbor Day Foundation, for the 32nd year, and is often called The Emerald City, due to all the green trees and vistas of our town’s surrounding green open-spaces natural habitat!

Boulder’s famous Flatirons Peaks & Greenbelt, less than a mile from downtown!

WANT TO HELP OUT DURING THE 2016 FILM FESTIVAL?

See our list of volunteer opportunities & download the sign-up form HERE

Our dedicated volunteers help make this event so successful!

Volunteers can earn free tickets to films & workshops, based on volunteer hours

If you’re a screenwriter, producer, actor, film director, etc. then you need to have a “network.” What is a “network,” exactly? It’s the web of relationships that allows you to do the work you love and get paid for it. Michelangelo, Shakespeare, Tolkien and Lewis all understood the value of building a strong professional network. Their careers wouldn’t have flourished in the same way if they’d locked themselves away in their offices, never attending parties, never introducing themselves to influential figures of the day, never forming friendships. They understood that nobody works “alone.” Everyone needs a tribe. It’s up to you to build your tribe, work your connections, and use your storytelling skills to create an online presence that says, “I’m somebody you definitely want to know.” READ MORE:

MOONDANCE BLOG EDITOR’S NOTE:

Attend important film festivals, like Moondance, for productive networking opportunities!

The response to (Virtually) Everything Story has been INCREDIBLE! Thanks to everyone who has written, sharing how much value they have gotten out of watching the free interviews in the Future of Storytelling Library! These the absolute TOP names in the industry sharing CUTTING EDGE information, which is going to put you years ahead of your competition. This is what storytelling is going to look like in the future! ~ Ken Lee,Michael Wiese Books

Here’s just some of what’s going to be happening & when…

Wednesday, June 15th

John Truby ~ Novels: The Number One Screenwriting Strategy Today: Why Being a Novelist is Your Ticket to Hollywood Success

A kid who brings an apple to the teacher has a mission. Get the teacher to like him or her and mark his or her grades higher. The manipulation is obvious and we scorn such tactics. And yet as we grow older many of us adopt such people pleasing poses. Not me, you say. But have you ever wanted to avoid conflict or tried to second-guess other people’s behaviours or reactions? Do you have a tendency to give up on your own desires and thoughts in deference to others? Does imagining that someone will get angry change the course of your actions? Is disapproval unbearable?

The trouble is people start to expect it when you hand out ‘yes’ like free candy. Like a drug addict you have to give more and more away to receive less and less appreciation. And the anger, resentment and bitterness grows like a fire-ball in your throat. Nice You on the outside is a thin veneer to the seething pit of snakes spitting venom on the quiet. People-pleasing depletes your energy and your reserves. You begin to feel that you have nothing left to give, but still people keep taking, because you let them.

So you decide enough’s enough. You take a stand. You start to say No. You start to value your time, your space and your self-worth. And what do you gain with your New No? You gain self-respect. You gain time. You gain rest and energy. You gain the ability to say yes to the things that you want to say yes to. You gain self-confidence. You gain the right to be direct and authentic. You gain space to breathe. You gain power over your own destiny. You gain inner strength. You will open the flood gates for your creativity, and when you do that your life will start to flow.

Lou Hamilton is a Creative Coach & she will help you get over your people-pleasing tendencies, so that you can get on with living the life you want. Email for a free consultation Lou@createlab.co.uk

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The benefits of nature-walking, picnicking, hiking, climbing trees, observing wildlife, wildflowers and natural environments, seeing spectacular vistas, running and being out on your own in Nature or with friends or family works in subtle, ways. Such activities help maintain body, mind and spirit, and give a sense of belonging, of being grounded and one with the Earth. It is of huge benefit, enjoyed in no other way, and so, we need to do all we can ensure that these open spaces and unspoiled, native areas will be there for future generations to enjoy, too!

CAN YOU SEE ME?

“Can You See Me?” short documentary film, Lou Hamilton, director, UK

Take a look at this poignant & thought-provoking 10-minute short film by multiple-award-winning Moondance filmmaker, Lou Hamilton, UK (scroll down to 3rd one shown): Can You See Me? 100 West End stars transform London’s Trafalgar Square into a Flashmob aimed at raising awareness about child sex trafficking at:https://createlabproductions.com/films-2/

The ocean is loud: Ship propellers, sonar, oil and gas drilling and other industrial work make sounds, even if, like the proverbial tree falling in the forest, no one can hear it. But marine animals can, and all that noise has been shown to interfere with their behavior, since many of them, from whales to invertebrates, use sound for all kinds of activities, including to communicate, to find food or each other, to avoid predators and to migrate.

And while the ocean was never a quiet place — full of natural rumblings, clickings and chatterings — the problem has grown worse over the last 100 years or so, and significantly increased over the last 50 years in some places, much of it from commercial shipping, according to theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

This whale and dolphin stranding was proven to be the direct result of sonar abuse.

So the agency, which manages and protects marine life in United States waters, released on Wednesday a draft for a strategy to reduce the effects of ocean noise, and invited public comment. TheOcean Noise Strategy Roadmapdraft is an early step in a 10-year plan to quiet the oceans and reduce some of the harmful effects on aquatic species. The public comment period will end July 1, and a more concrete plan will be put in place in the coming months.READ MORE:

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NO OCEAN, NO US!

By Kristen Krumhardt, Guest Opinion, Daily Camera, June 8, 2016

Ph.D. candidate in environmental studies at CU Boulder

Have you thanked the ocean lately? In celebration of World Ocean Day (June 8), I want to remind everyone that, as distant as the ocean may seem, it sustains us and we impact it. Not only does the ocean provide one billion people with protein everyday (90 % of those who live in developing countries and have no alternatives), but also microscopic plants living in the ocean provide more than half of the oxygen we breathe. The ocean contains tremendous biodiversity, both valuable and beautiful. Coral reef ecosystems are especially diverse, providing millions with food, medicine, storm protection, as well as revenue from tourism. The neurological, psychological, and emotional changes that occur when we are near water are scientifically documented.

“We have an enormous impact on the ocean, not only through the physical connection of our watersheds, but also through the interconnectedness of Earth’s ecological systems as a whole,” says Vicki Nichols Goldstein, founder of theColorado Ocean Coalition. Her motto is, “You don’t have to see the ocean to protect it,” Indeed, runoff from our cities & farms goes directly into streams, rivers, and, ultimately, to the ocean.

Not only are we connected to the ocean via rivers and streams, but also through the atmosphere. We can add “climate change modulator” to the list of services the ocean provides, as it absorbs both heat and carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Thanks to the ocean, the world is cooler than it would otherwise be, given the amount of excess carbon we humans have pumped into the sky through the burning of fossil fuels. As the Global Ocean Commission frames it: “no ocean, no us.”READ MORE:(Excerpt & edit by EE)

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DEFEND THE (SMALL, BUT) MIGHTY KRILL!

Krill are the bees of the seas. Small creatures that play a giant role in our web of life. Without krill, the future would be bleak for Antarctica’s penguins, seals, and whales. But the fish oil industry has it out for krill. They are sucking up krill by the millions from Antarctica’s Southern Ocean, with some nations planning to expand their operations by seven-fold.

You’d think super-food krill would be safe from human interference in the frigid, distant waters around Antarctica. But the most biologically-productive section of the Southern Ocean has seen an 80% drop in krill, likely owing to climate change & the krill industry’s increased catch making a rebound even less likely. Fish oil supplements are surging in popularity. They’ve also contributed to the collapse of forage fish like herring and anchovies in some regions.

Take a look inside the Moondance photo album! (Click below)

A listing of your script on InkTip so that producers and reps can find you. InkTip helps writers sell their scripts and get representation. Producers have made more than 200 films from scripts and writers they found through InkTip!

STUDIO-TYPE COVERAGE OF YOUR SCRIPT OR FILM! Ready to get your screenplay or film on the right track?

Moondancer Endorsement!

I was contacted by a sales company, Circus Road Films and by a distribution company named Silverline Entertainment. Both found my film on the Moondance roster and requested a screener, which I sent them. One of the things I liked reading about Moondance is your investment not only in the festival itself, but in helping filmmakers get through industry doors - which has been tough, to say the least. Thanks for curating an important and much-needed festival. As a woman director, the added hurdles I face daily can feel insurmountable, and your work keeps women like me going. ~ Ela Their, director, “Tomorrow Ever After”, screening at Moondance 2016

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